How to Train for a Half Marathon: A Complete Beginner's Guide
So you're thinking about running a half marathon. Maybe a friend peer pressured you to sign up, maybe you want to prove something to yourself, maybe your social media feed is filled with runners talking about how transformational it is, or maybe you're just ready for a new challenge. Whatever brought you here, I'm going to tell you something important: you can ABSOLUTELY run a half marathon. ANYONE can run a half marathon.
I'm Kelly, founder of Badass Lady Gang, and I've coached THOUSANDS of women through their first half marathons. I've seen complete beginners who "hated running" cross finish lines they never thought possible. (That was once me. I knew nothing and made every mistake you could make. I wasn’t athletic growing up and truly fumbled my way through my first RunDisney half marathon. BUT IT CHANGED MY LIFE. The level of pride I felt was INDESCRIBABLE.) I've watched women transform not just their relationship with their bodies, but their entire relationship with what they're capable of achieving. (And bonus points, learn that movement has nothing to do with weight loss.)
And here's what I've learned: the half marathon distance is magic. It's challenging enough to require real commitment and training, but accessible enough that almost anyone can build up to it with the right approach. It's 13.1 miles of proving to yourself that you're stronger than you think.
The half marathon is hard. But think of it like a frog in a pot. 13.1 miles may seem impossibly far today, but slowly week by week, you run a little more and a little more until suddenly, it doesn’t feel as impossible as it once did.
This half marathon guide will walk you through everything you need to know to train for your first half—from understanding the science behind your training to building a plan that actually fits your life. Whether you train with us at Badass Lady Gang or follow your own path (there are free apps and plans everywhere. Do what makes sense for you), my goal is to give you the knowledge and confidence to show up to race day ready.
Why the Half Marathon Is the Perfect First Distance
Before we dive into the how, let's talk about the why. The half marathon sits in a sweet spot that makes it ideal for runners at almost any level.
Training for a half marathon requires you to build real endurance. You'll learn what your body is capable of over sustained effort. You'll develop mental toughness that carries over into every area of your life. You'll become a runner.
But unlike a full marathon, the half marathon doesn't require the same level of life disruption. You won't be running 3 hour long training runs or spending your entire weekend recovering. Most half marathon training plans max out around 2 to 2 and a half hours for the long run, which means you can still have a life outside of running.
Marathons can feel like an unpaid part time job. Half marathons are a fun challenge.
The half marathon teaches you discipline without demanding everything. It pushes you without breaking you. And for most runners, it's the distance where they fall in love with the sport.
Understanding the Timeline: How Long Does It Really Take?
One of the first questions every runner asks is: "How long do I need to train for a half marathon?"
The answer depends entirely on where you're starting from.
If you're currently running regularly (even just 20-40 minutes2-3 times a week), a 12-week training plan is typically sufficient. This gives you enough time to build your long run distance gradually, incorporate speed work, and taper before race day without feeling rushed.
If you're starting from scratch and trying to go from couch to half marathon, you may be able to do it in 12 but you’ll feel much, much better thinking about 2 different blocks. A 4-8-week become a runner or base building phase and then a 12 week half marathon training cycle. So 16-20 weeks total. This allows time to build your base fitness first before diving into a structured half marathon plan. Rushing this process is the number one mistake I see beginners make, and it almost always leads to injury, panic, doubt, or burnout.
The goal is to enjoy the process. Not feel like you’re behind and won’t be ready in time.
“Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be.”
— André De Shields
At Badass Lady Gang, our half marathon training plans are designed to meet you where you are. We offer different starting points depending on your current fitness level, because there's no one-size-fits-all approach to this distance.
Building Your Base: The Foundation of Half Marathon Training
Here's something most beginner training plans don't emphasize enough: you need a base before you start training.
What does that mean? Before you dive into a structured half marathon plan with speed work, tempo runs, and progressive long runs, you need to be able to run consistently and comfortably for 30-45 minutes at a time. You need to have built the aerobic foundation that will support all the harder work to come.
Think of it like building a house. You wouldn't start putting up walls before you've poured a solid foundation, right? Your aerobic base is that foundation.
What Is Base Building?
Base building is a period of training (typically 4-8 weeks) where you focus exclusively on “easy, comfortable” running. Why the quotation marks? Because it won’t FEEL easy and comfortable. But think slow, strong, and steady. Jogging. No speed work. No pushing the pace. Just consistent, conversational-pace running that teaches your body how to be a runner.
During base building, you're developing:
Aerobic efficiency: Your body gets better at using oxygen to fuel your muscles. Your heart becomes more efficient at pumping blood. Your muscles develop more mitochondria (the powerhouses that produce energy). All of this happens when you run at an easy, sustainable pace.
Structural strength: Your bones, tendons, and ligaments need time to adapt to the impact of running. This happens slowly, which is why gradual progression is so important. Base building gives your body time to strengthen these structures before you add more demanding workouts.
Mental endurance: Running for 45 minutes or an hour straight is as much a mental challenge as a physical one when you're starting out. Base building teaches you to be comfortable with sustained effort and helps you develop the mental strategies you'll need for race day. Running is all about sitting with your thoughts, boredom and discomfort. Base building is a great time to work on your patience muscle.
Consistency: The habit of showing up for your runs, lacing up your shoes even when you don't feel like it, following through on your plan—this is what base building really teaches you. And consistency is the single most important factor in successful half marathon training.
If you're brand new to running, I highly recommend starting with our free Couch to 5K program. It's an 8-week audio-coached program that will take you from complete beginner to running 30 minutes continuously. Once you've completed that, you'll have the base you need to start a half marathon training plan.
Or, if you want a more comprehensive approach that combines base building with speed work and strength training, check out our Build Your Base Training Experience—it's a free 12-week program designed to develop well-rounded fitness while teaching you the science behind your training.
The Components of Half Marathon Training: What Goes Into Your Plan
A well-designed half marathon training plan isn't just "run more miles every week." It's a carefully balanced combination of different types of runs, each serving a specific purpose in your development as a runner.
Let's break down each component and understand the why behind it. Because when you understand why you're doing something, you're far more likely to actually do it—and to do it well.
Long Runs: The Cornerstone of Your Training
Your weekly long run is an important part of your half marathon training plan. This is where you build the endurance necessary to cover 13.1 miles on race day.
How it works: Long runs are done at an easy, conversational pace—slow enough that you could hold a conversation without gasping for breath. The pace doesn't matter. The time on your feet matters.
When you run for extended periods at a conversational pace, your body makes specific adaptations:
Your muscles develop more capillaries, improving blood flow and oxygen delivery
Your body becomes more efficient at burning fat for fuel (which is crucial for distance running)
Your bones and connective tissues strengthen to handle the repetitive impact
Your brain learns to keep your body moving even when it gets tired
How to structure them: In a typical half marathon training plan, you'll start with a long run of 40-90 minutes (depending on your base fitness) and gradually build up over the weeks, peaking between 2 hours to 2 hours and 40 about two weeks before your race. (Why the range? It depends on your pace, where you are, and how much time you have to slowly build your long runs during training.)
The key word here is gradually. Most plans increase your long run by about 10-15 minutes per week, with occasional cutback weeks where you reduce the distance to allow for recovery. This pattern of stress + recovery is what drives adaptation.
Critical mistake to avoid: Don't try to run 13.1 miles in training. I know it's tempting to "practice" the full distance, but it's unnecessary and increases your injury risk. Your race day adrenaline, taper, and race conditions will carry you through those final miles. Trust the process.
The week of my first half marathon, I wasn’t sure if I was ready. I wasn’t really following a training plan, just running regularly so my friend told me to try to run for 2 hours the Monday or Tuesday the week of the race. She said if I could do that, I’d be fine on Sunday. WORST ADVICE EVER. Follow a training plan and give yourself time to recover before race day during the taper.
Easy/Recovery Runs: The Secret Weapon Most Beginners Ignore
If I could convince every beginner runner of one thing, it would be this: easy runs are not junk miles. They are where the magic happens.
Most new runners think they need to push hard every single run to improve. Or focus on their pace. They worry about getting slower. Some of your runs will be slow. Some will be a little speedier. Trying to run every workout at a little faster pace is the fastest route to injury, burnout, and stalled progress.
Why easy runs matter: Easy runs build your aerobic base (that foundation we talked about), allow your body to recover from harder efforts while still maintaining consistency, teach your body to burn fat efficiently, and add volume to your training without adding stress.
Social media LOVES talking about zone 2 running. This is just conversational pace. But for many runners, heart rate isn’t the most insightful data point. There are tons of reasons why your heart rate may be elevated. Some people also just have higher heart rates. A much, MUCH better way to gauge is effort level. FOCUS on running slow, strong and steady when you’re doing your “easy pace”/ “conversational pace” runs. Keep it slow and natural.
Between 70-80% of your weekly running should be at an easy, comfortable pace. Yes, really. Even elite runners spend the majority of their time running slow. (Fast and slow are relative. Focus on effort level and maintaining the integrity of the workout.)
What pace should easy runs be? Here's the simple test: Can you hold a conversation while running? If yes, you're at the right pace. If you're gasping for breath or can only manage single-word responses, you're going too hard. If you’re huffing and puffing, take more walking breaks sooner than you think you should.
For most beginners, conversational pace is 1-2 minutes per mile slower than your race pace goal (if you have a race pace goal). It might feel painfully slow at first. That's okay. Your ego might hate it, but your body will thank you. But go more off of effort level. SLOW, strong and steady. Something you can sing along to music with.
How to use them in training: Easy runs typically fill the days between your harder workouts (long runs, speed sessions, tempo runs). They might range from 20-45 minutes depending on where you are in your training plan.
Speed Work: Building Your Engine
Once you have a solid aerobic base (usually after 4-8 weeks of consistent running), you can start incorporating speed work into your training. This is where you teach your body to run faster and more efficiently.
Types of speed work for half marathon training:
Intervals: Short bursts of faster running/harder efforts followed by recovery periods. For example, you might run 6 x 800 meters at a challenging pace (think mile pace) with 2-3 minutes of easy jogging between each interval.
Intervals improve your VO2 max (your body's ability to use oxygen), increase your lactate threshold (the point at which your muscles start accumulating lactic acid), and teach your body to recover quickly from hard efforts.
Tempo Runs: Sustained efforts at a "comfortably hard" pace—hard enough that you're working, but sustainable for 20-40 minutes. This is often described as the pace you could hold for about an hour in a race.
Tempo runs are incredible for half marathon training because they teach your body to clear lactate efficiently and help you develop the mental toughness to sustain a challenging pace. They're also great practice for learning what your goal half marathon pace feels like.
Fartlek: A Swedish word meaning "speed play," fartlek runs are less structured than intervals. You might run hard to the next mailbox, easy for two minutes, hard up the next hill, easy to the corner, and so on. They're fun, they're flexible, and they provide many of the same benefits as structured intervals without the pressure.
How often? One speed workout per week is plenty for half marathon training. More than that, and you risk overtraining and injury. Quality over quantity always wins.
Hill Training: Your Secret Strength Weapon
Hills are the runner's version of strength training. Running uphill builds power in your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, improves your running form and efficiency, increases your cardiovascular fitness, and makes flat runs feel easier by comparison.
Hill repeats are simple but effective: Find a hill that takes 40-90 seconds to run up at a hard effort. Run up at about 80-85% effort, jog or walk back down to recover, and repeat 6-10 times.
The beauty of hill repeats is that they build strength without the impact stress of flat speed work. The incline forces you to drive your knees up and push powerfully with each step, building the exact muscle patterns that make you a stronger runner.
If you don't have hills where you live, don't worry. You can simulate hill training on a treadmill by setting the incline to 4-6%, or you can substitute with extra strength training focused on single-leg work and plyometrics.
Cross-Training: The Insurance Policy for Your Body
Cross-training means any aerobic exercise that isn't running—cycling, swimming, rowing, elliptical, even brisk walking. For half marathon training, cross-training serves several important purposes.
It maintains your aerobic fitness while giving your running muscles and joints a break. This is especially valuable if you're feeling beat up or dealing with minor niggles that would be aggravated by running.
It builds balanced fitness. Running is amazing, but it's also repetitive. The same muscles work in the same patterns over and over. Cross-training recruits different muscle groups and movement patterns, making you a more well-rounded athlete.
It provides a mental break. Sometimes you just need to do something different. Cross-training days can be refreshing when you're deep in training and running starts to feel like a chore.
Most half marathon training plans include 1-2 cross-training sessions per week. These might be 30-45 minutes of cycling, a swim workout, or even a yoga class.
At Badass Lady Gang, we include cross-training options in our training plans, and our BALG Training Team gets access to our full strength training video library to complement their running.
Rest Days: Where the Magic Actually Happens
Here's a truth that took me years to learn: Rest is not the absence of training. Rest IS training.
Your body doesn't get stronger during your runs. It gets stronger during recovery, when it repairs the microscopic damage from your workouts and builds back stronger than before.
If you never give your body time to complete this repair process, you never actually get stronger. You just keep breaking yourself down, getting more and more fatigued, until something breaks—usually in the form of an injury.
How much rest do you need? At minimum, one complete rest day per week for everyday runners. No running, no cross-training, just rest. Many beginners do better with two rest days per week, especially in the first half of their training plan.
Rest days should be guilt-free. They're not a sign of weakness or laziness. They're a sign that you understand how training actually works.
Strength Training: The Non-Negotiable Component
I'm going to be direct here: if you want to run a half marathon without getting injured, you need to strength train.
Running is a single-leg exercise performed thousands of times per run. Every time your foot hits the ground, your body absorbs 2-3 times your body weight in impact force. Your muscles, tendons, and connective tissues need to be strong enough to handle that stress, run after run, week after week.
Strength training builds that resilience. It also corrects muscle imbalances, improves your running form and efficiency, increases your power output, and reduces your injury risk dramatically.
What kind of strength training? Focus on:
Single-leg exercises: Bulgarian split squats, single-leg deadlifts, step-ups. These mimic the single-leg nature of running and build stability.
Hip and glute work: Clamshells, hip bridges, lateral band walks. Weak glutes are the root cause of countless running injuries.
Core stability: Planks, dead bugs, bird dogs. Your core stabilizes your entire body with every stride.
Plyometrics: Box jumps, jump squats, bounding. These develop power and teach your muscles to absorb impact efficiently.
How often? 2-3 strength sessions per week, each lasting 20-40 minutes, is ideal. You don't need hours in the gym. Consistency with the basics will get you far.
Our BALG Training Team members get access to our complete library of runner-specific strength training videos, designed to complement your running training perfectly.
Creating Your Training Schedule: Putting It All Together
Now that you understand the components, let's talk about how to structure them into a weekly training schedule.
A typical week during half marathon training includes:
3-5 runs per week (including one long run, one speed/tempo/hill workout, and 2-3 easy runs)
2-3 strength training sessions
1-2 cross-training sessions (optional, can replace easy runs)
1-2 complete rest days
Sample Week for a Beginner (3-4 days of running per week):
Monday: Rest or easy cross-training (20-30 minutes cycling or swimming)
Tuesday: Easy run (3-4 miles/40-60 minutes at conversational pace)
Wednesday: Strength training (30 minutes focusing on glutes, hips, core)
Thursday: Speed workout (warm-up, 3-4 x 5 minutes at threshold pace with 3 minutes recovery, cool-down) OR hill repeats
Friday: Rest or strength training
Saturday: Long run (progressively longer each week, starting at 40-60 minutes)
Sunday: Rest or very easy cross-training
Sample Week for Intermediate (4-5 days of running per week):
Monday: Rest or easy 3-mile recovery run
Tuesday: Easy run (4-5 miles/50-60 minutes)
Wednesday: Speed workout (intervals, tempo, or fartlek) + strength training
Thursday: Easy run (3-4 miles)
Friday: Strength training or rest
Saturday: Long run (progressively building to 10-12 miles or 2 hours-2 hours 30 minutes)
Sunday: Easy run (3-4 miles) or cross-training
The key is finding a schedule that fits your life. If you can't run during the week, you can still train for a half marathon by doing your long run on Saturday, a speed workout on Sunday, and two easy runs on Wednesday and Friday. The perfect plan is the one you'll actually follow.
The Long Run Progression: How to Build Distance Safely
Let's get specific about how to progress your long run over your training plan. This is the backbone of your training, so understanding the progression is crucial.
Why We Train by Time, Not Miles
Here's something important: at Badass Lady Gang, most conversational paced runs are structured by time, not distance. And there's a really good reason for this.
A 9-minute-per-mile runner will cover 11 miles in about 1 hour and 40 minutes (ish). A 13-minute-per-mile runner will take 2 hours and 23 minutes (ish) to cover that same distance. That's a 43-minute difference in time on feet—and time on feet is what actually stresses your body and drives adaptation.
If both runners follow a plan that says "run 11 miles," the faster runner gets an appropriate training stimulus while the slower runner is out there for nearly an hour longer, accumulating much more fatigue and stress. That's a recipe for overtraining or injury.
Why is this a problem?
The problem arises in cookie cutter training plans that don’t start a runner where they are. If a runner jumps into a plan that is working around a race date, it may up their mileage too quickly taking them from a 60-minute run to a 1 hour 40 minute run.
When we train by time instead, we're giving your body the appropriate dose of stress for your current fitness level, regardless of how fast you run.
AND, we give you a chance to not worry about pace. To let runners focus on getting a run in based on how they feel instead of forcing themselves through a run with sloppy form because they’re feeling beat up.
Building Your Long Run Progression
The key factors in determining your long run progression are:
Where you're starting from: If you can currently run comfortably for 30 minutes, that's your starting point. If you can run for 60 minutes, that's where you begin.
How much time you have until race day: A runner with 20 weeks to train can build more gradually than someone with only 12 weeks. More time = safer, more sustainable progression.
Your goal for race day: Are you aiming to race hard, or is your goal simply to finish strong? This affects how long your peak long run needs to be.
Sample 12-Week Long Run Progression (for someone starting at 30 minutes):
Week 1: 30 minutes
Week 2: 40-45 minutes
Week 3: 50 minutes
Week 4: 35 minutes (cutback)
Week 5: 60 minutes
Week 6: 70 minutes
Week 7: 80 minutes
Week 8: 50 minutes (cutback)
Week 9: 90 minutes
Week 10: 100 minutes
Week 11: 60 minutes (taper begins)
Week 12: 30 minutes (race week)
Week 13: RACE DAY!
But here's the thing: if you're a 13-minute-per-mile runner and you only have 12 weeks, starting from 30 minutes might not give you enough time to safely build up. You might need to extend your training plan to 16-20 weeks, or accept that your peak long run will be closer to 2 hours instead of 2 hours and 20 minutes.
This is exactly why cookie-cutter plans don't work for everyone. Your progression needs to be based on your current fitness, your timeline, and your goals.
Our half marathon training plans are designed with time-based progressions that can be customized to your pace and your available training window, ensuring you get the right training stimulus without overdoing it. But while our plans are affordable, they don’t have a coach guiding you and customizing your plan. Instead, join our BALG training team (EVEN FOR 1 month) just to get a 12-week custom plan created and explained to you.
Pacing: The Art of Running Smart, Not Just Hard
Pacing is one of the most misunderstood aspects of half marathon training, and it's where I see beginners make their biggest mistakes.
Understanding Conversational Pace
I've mentioned conversational pace several times so forgive me if I’m sounding like a broken record.
Conversational pace means you can speak in complete sentences while running. Not gasping out single words—actual sentences. If someone asked you a question, you could answer in 8-10 words without struggling for breath.
For most runners, this is 1-2 minutes per mile slower than their race pace but effort level > pace when it comes to easy pace. It feels too slow at first. Your ego will tell you that you should be pushing harder. Ignore your ego. Science is on the side of easy running.
Why Most of Your Training Should Be Conversational/Easy
Elite runners spend 80% of their training at easy paces. They understand something that most beginners don't: you get faster by running slow most of the time.
When you run easy, your body makes the aerobic adaptations that form the foundation of endurance: increased capillary density, more mitochondria, better fat utilization, improved running economy. These adaptations don't happen when you're constantly pushing hard.
When you run too hard too often, you're too tired to run truly hard on your speed workout days, too fatigued to fully recover between sessions, and at high risk for overtraining and injury, without getting the full benefit of either easy or hard training.
Finding Your Goal Half Marathon Pace
So what pace should you target for race day? Here's a framework:
If you've never run a half marathon before: Your primary goal should be to finish feeling strong, to see what you’re capable of, and not to focus too much on a specific time. Plan to run at a pace that feels sustainable and comfortable—somewhere between your easy run pace and your tempo run pace.
If you have recent race times: You can use a race time predictor (like the Jack Daniels VDOT calculator) to estimate your half marathon pace based on recent 5K or 10K times. But remember: these are estimates, not guarantees.
The golden rule for race day: Start conservative. It's far better to run the second half of your race faster than the first half (a negative split) than to blow up halfway through because you started too fast.
At Badass Lady Gang, we spend a lot of time in our Training Team weekly coaching calls helping runners understand pacing strategies for their specific goals and fitness levels. Pacing is as much art as science, and having experienced guidance makes a huge difference.
Nutrition and Hydration: Fueling Your Training
You can have the perfect training plan, but if you're not fueling properly, you won't perform at your best. Let's talk about what your body needs during half marathon training.
Daily Nutrition for Runners
Carbohydrates are your friend. Despite what diet culture might tell you, carbs are the primary fuel source for running. Your body stores carbohydrates as glycogen in your muscles and liver, and this glycogen powers your runs.
Good sources include whole grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes, and yes, even pasta and bread.
Protein supports recovery. After your runs, your muscles need protein to repair and rebuild.
Good sources include lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and protein supplements if needed.
Don't forget healthy fats. Fats support hormone production, reduce inflammation, and provide sustained energy. Include sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish.
Timing matters. Try to eat a small meal or snack containing both carbs and protein within 30-60 minutes after your runs. This window is when your muscles are most receptive to restocking glycogen and beginning repair.
Fueling During Long Runs
For runs lasting longer than 60-75 minutes, you'll need to take in fuel during the run. Your body can only store enough glycogen for about 90 minutes of running, so for those longer long runs, you'll need supplemental carbohydrates.
Options include:
Energy gels (typically 20-25g of carbs per packet)
Energy chews (like Sport Beans or Clif Bloks)
Real food (dates, dried fruit, honey, or even gummy bears)
How much? Aim for 40-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during runs longer than 75 minutes. Start small—maybe one gel at 30 minutes and another at 75 minutes—and adjust based on how you feel.
MAKE A PLAN AND TRACK WHAT YOU DO IN TRAINING. Write down how you’re fueling and hydrating. Track how many g of carbs and mg of sodium you’re getting an hour. Note how you felt. Make small changes.
Practice during training. Never try new fuel on race day. Your long runs are dress rehearsals for race day, including nutrition. Test different products to find what your stomach tolerates well.
Hydration Strategies
Proper hydration affects everything: your performance, your recovery, your energy levels, even your mood.
Daily hydration: Aim for half your body weight in ounces of water daily as a baseline. So if you weigh 150 pounds, that's 75 ounces of water. Increase this on running days.
During runs: For runs under 60 minutes, you typically don't need to carry water unless it's very hot. For longer runs, plan to drink 4-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes.
Signs you're dehydrated: Dark yellow urine, persistent thirst, fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. Your urine should be light yellow to clear.
Electrolytes matter too. When you sweat, you lose sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes. For runs longer than 75-90 minutes, consider a sports drink or electrolyte supplement in addition to water, especially in hot weather.
Just like for fueling, track your hydration during long runs. How many oz of fluid and mg of sodium. How many g of carbs you’re getting from both fuel AND sports drink. See how you feel. Make changes.
IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU PLAN TO FAIL. Write it out.
Need help and guidance? JOIN OUR BALG TRAINING TEAM. Perks of having a coach!
Common Training Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
I've coached hundreds of runners through half marathon training, and I see the same mistakes over and over. Let's talk about them so you can avoid them.
Mistake #1: Doing Too Much Too Soon
This is the number one training mistake, and it leads to the majority of running injuries.
You're excited. You want to improve fast. So you jump into a plan that's too aggressive for your current fitness level, or you add extra runs beyond what your plan calls for, or you push the pace on every run because you feel good.
Then, three weeks in, your knee starts hurting. Or your shin is throbbing. Or you're just exhausted all the time.
The fix: Follow the plan. Trust the progression. Respect rest days. Remember that consistency over months beats intensity for a few weeks every single time.
Mistake #2: Running Every Run at the Same Pace
Many beginners fall into what coaches call "the middle zone"—running every run at a moderate, sort-of-hard pace. Not easy enough to truly recover, not hard enough to drive adaptation.
This means you're always somewhat tired, never truly recovered, and you're not getting the full benefit of either easy running or hard training.
The fix: Embrace periodized training. Make your easy days truly easy—conversational pace, even if it feels slow. Make your hard days actually hard—challenging speed work where you're working. Don't live in the grey zone. Can you? Yes. But mix it up! Even if the goal is to run for fun and party pace, you’ll have more fun running conversational pace when you’re training smarter.
Mistake #3: Skipping Strength Training
"I don't have time" is the most common excuse I hear for skipping strength training. And I get it—you're already carving out time for running. Adding strength work feels like too much.
But here's the truth: You don't have time NOT to strength train. Because when you get injured from weak hips or poor glute activation, you'll be forced to take weeks or months off running. That's a lot more time than the 20-30 minutes twice a week that strength training requires.
The fix: Make strength training non-negotiable. It doesn't have to be long—even 15-20 minutes of targeted exercises makes a huge difference. Our BALG Training Team gets access to efficient strength training videos designed specifically for runners, making it easy to fit this crucial work into your schedule.
Mistake #4: Ignoring Pain
There's a difference between discomfort and pain, and learning to distinguish between them is crucial.
Discomfort is: burning lungs, heavy legs, that "I don't really want to do this right now" feeling. This is normal in training and something you push through.
Pain is: sharp sensations, anything that changes your gait or form, anything that gets worse as you run, anything that lingers after your run. This is your body's warning system telling you something is wrong.
The fix: Learn to use the pain scale. Rate your discomfort 1-10:
1-3: Normal training discomfort, keep going
4-5: Noticeable but not affecting your form, monitor closely
6-7: Affecting your form or getting worse, stop running
8-10: Sharp or severe, stop immediately and seek medical attention
Never try to "run through" pain in the 4-10 range. It won't make you tougher. It will make you injured.
When in doubt, find a physical therapist who sees runners. You don’t have to wait until your hurt to go to PT. Prehabbing injuries is much easier than rehabbing injuries.
Mistake #5: Neglecting Recovery
Rest days are when your body actually gets stronger. Sleep is when most of your physical recovery happens. Proper nutrition determines how well you can repair and rebuild.
Yet many beginners neglect all three in their quest to train harder.
The fix: Prioritize sleep (7-9 hours nightly during training if it’s possible or quality sleep where you can get it), respect your rest days completely, fuel properly after every run, consider recovery tools like foam rolling, stretching, or massage, and listen when your body tells you it needs an extra rest day.
Mental Preparation: Training Your Mind as Much as Your Body
Half marathon training is as much a mental challenge as a physical one. The ability to keep going when things get hard, to push through discomfort, to stay focused for 13.1 miles—these are mental skills that need training just like your cardiovascular system.
Building Mental Toughness During Training
Every time you run when you don't feel like it, you're building mental toughness. Every time you push through a tough speed workout, you're proving to yourself that you can handle discomfort. Every long run is a lesson in sustained focus and effort.
Strategies that work:
Break it into chunks: Don't think about the entire 10-mile long run. Think about getting to mile 3. Then mile 5. Then mile 7. Small, manageable chunks are less overwhelming than the full distance.
Develop mantras: Simple phrases you can repeat when things get hard. "I am strong." "This is temporary." "I've done harder things." Find what resonates with you and use it when your brain starts telling you to quit.
Practice positive self-talk: The voice in your head during runs will either lift you up or tear you down. Actively choose encouraging, supportive self-talk. Talk to yourself like you'd talk to a good friend, not like a harsh critic.
Visualize success: Regularly spend time imagining yourself running strong, crossing the finish line, achieving your goal. Visualization is a powerful tool that elite athletes use extensively. Your brain can't tell the difference between a vivid visualization and real experience.
Managing Pre-Race Nerves
As race day approaches, it's completely normal to feel nervous. In fact, I'd be more concerned if you weren't nervous—it means this race matters to you.
The key is managing those nerves so they energize you rather than overwhelm you.
Strategies for race week:
Trust your training: You've put in the work. Your body is ready. Remind yourself of all the long runs you completed, all the workouts you pushed through, all the times you showed up even when you didn't feel like it.
Have a plan: Know your race strategy, your pacing plan, where you'll take fuel, what you'll do if things get hard. Having a plan gives your brain something to focus on besides anxiety.
Control what you can control: You can't control the weather, the course, or how other runners perform. But you can control your preparation, your attitude, your effort. Focus your energy there.
Reframe nervousness as excitement: Anxiety and excitement create the same physical sensations (increased heart rate, butterflies in stomach). Your brain's interpretation determines whether you experience it as fear or excitement. Choose excitement.
At Badass Lady Gang, we spend extensive time in our Training Team weekly coaching calls on mental game strategies. Because I've learned that the runners who master their mental game are the ones who not only finish strong but actually enjoy the journey.
The Final Weeks: Taper and Race Prep
You've been training for weeks or months. You've logged countless miles. You've done the work. Now comes one of the hardest parts of half marathon training: the taper.
What Is Tapering?
Tapering is the period of reduced training volume in the 1-2 weeks before your race. The goal is to arrive at the start line rested, recovered, and ready to perform at your best.
For a half marathon, a 1-2 week taper is typical. During this time, you'll reduce your overall weekly mileage by 30-50% while maintaining some intensity to keep your legs sharp.
Sample taper structure:
Two weeks before race: Reduce total weekly mileage by 30%, keep your easy runs easy, include one short speed session (but cut the volume by half), and do your final long run (8-9 miles maximum).
Week before race: Reduce total weekly mileage by 40-50%, keep all runs short and easy (3-4 miles max), include one very short speed session (4-6 x 30-second strides) mid-week to keep your legs feeling snappy, and rest completely 2 days before the race.
The Taper Crazies
Here's a phenomenon every runner experiences but few people warn you about: taper crazies.
As you reduce your training volume, you'll probably feel weird. Sluggish, maybe. Every little ache and pain suddenly feels magnified. You'll convince yourself you've lost all your fitness. You'll want to add extra runs "just to be sure."
Don't. This is completely normal. Your body is recovering from weeks of accumulated fatigue. Those phantom pains you're feeling? They were always there, but you were too busy training to notice them. That sluggish feeling? It's your body saving energy for race day.
Trust the taper. Resist the urge to squeeze in extra workouts. Rest is your job now.
Race Week Logistics
Pick up your bib and race packet a day or two before if possible. Don't add race-morning stress by having to arrive extra early.
Lay out your entire race outfit the night before, including your watch, fuel, everything. Pin your bib on your shirt. Have everything ready so race morning is smooth.
Eat normally in the days leading up to the race. You don't need to go ham carb-loading for a half marathon like you would for a full marathon. Don’t ignore carbs. Just eat balanced meals with adequate carbohydrates. Drink your sports drink the day before.
Race morning: Wake up 2-3 hours before your start time if possible. Eat a familiar breakfast (300-400 calories of mostly carbs) 2-3 hours before your start. This gives your body time to digest and use the bathroom before the race.
Plan your warm-up: Arrive with enough time to use the bathroom (the lines can be long), do a 10-15 minute easy jog, and some dynamic stretching. Don't skip this—a proper warm-up makes a huge difference in how you feel those first few miles.
Race Day Strategy: Executing Your Plan
You've trained. You're tapered. You're ready. Now let's talk about how to actually run your half marathon.
The beauty of the half marathon is that there are multiple ways to approach race day, and the right strategy depends entirely on what you trained for and what you want to experience.
Three Race Day Strategies
Strategy #1: All-Out Racing
This is for you if you've been training with specific race pace in mind and you've practiced that pace during your speed sessions. You have a time goal, you've done the work, and race day is about executing.
The approach:
Start at your goal race pace from mile 1 (after a proper warm-up)
Maintain steady effort throughout
Push through discomfort in the final miles
This requires mental toughness and confidence in your training
Who this is for: Runners who have consistently hit their goal paces in training, who have raced shorter distances recently and have reliable data, and who are comfortable with the discomfort of sustained hard effort.
The risk: If you've misjudged your fitness or start too fast, you'll pay for it in the later miles. But if you've done the work and you're ready, this strategy can lead to breakthrough performances.
Strategy #2: Goldilocks (The Negative Split)
This is my personal favorite strategy, and it's what I recommend for most first-time half marathoners who have time goals.
The approach:
Run the first 6-8 miles at a comfortable, controlled pace—easier than your goal race pace
Use this time to settle in, stay relaxed, and bank energy
At miles 6-8, assess how you feel and gradually pick up the pace
Race the final 5-7 miles, pushing harder as you get closer to the finish
Who this is for: Runners who want to challenge themselves but also want to enjoy the experience, anyone running their first half marathon at this distance, and runners who get nervous about blowing up mid-race.
Why it works: You finish strong instead of limping to the line. You get to experience what it feels like to pass people in the final miles instead of being passed. And psychologically, it's incredibly empowering to negative split a race—to prove to yourself that you paced smart and had more in the tank.
Strategy #3: Party Pace (Slow, Strong, and Steady)
This strategy is all about finishing strong and actually enjoying the experience of race day.
The approach:
Maintain a comfortable, conversational pace the entire way
Focus on consistent effort rather than hitting specific time splits
Soak in the experience—the crowd, the scenery, the accomplishment
Finish feeling strong and proud, not destroyed
Who this is for: First-time half marathoners whose primary goal is to finish, runners coming back from injury who want to be conservative, anyone who wants to prioritize the experience over the time, and runners who are using this race as a training run for a future goal race.
Why it works: You dramatically reduce your injury risk. You're much more likely to actually enjoy the race. You build confidence for future races. And you finish feeling like you could do it again, not like you never want to see a road race again.
Choosing Your Strategy
The right strategy for you depends on several factors:
What did you train for? If you've been doing race pace workouts and tempo runs at your goal pace, you're ready for Strategy #1. If your training has been mostly easy mileage with some speed work, Strategy #2 or #3 might be smarter.
What's your goal? Time goal = Strategy #1 or #2. Experience goal = Strategy #2 or #3.
How do you handle pressure? If the idea of all-out racing from the start makes you anxious, don't do it. Choose a strategy that lets you enjoy the race.
What does your body tell you in the final taper week? If you're feeling great, strong, and energized, you might be ready to push. If you're feeling more fatigued or undertrained, go conservative.
There's no "best" strategy—only the best strategy for you on this race day.
In our BALG Training Team weekly coaching calls, we work through race strategy together, helping you choose the approach that aligns with your training, your goals, and what will give you the most satisfying race day experience.
Fueling and Hydration During the Race
Stick to your training plan. Use the same fuel you practiced with during training. Don't try anything new on race day.
Typical fueling strategy for a half marathon:
Take your first gel or fuel at 20-30 minutes into the race
Do what you did in training
Don’t wait until you need it
Use water stations for hydration (but don't stop at every single one)
Water station strategy: Grab water at every other station (roughly every 15-20 minutes). Slow down briefly—trying to drink while running at race pace often results in more water on you than in you. A few seconds of slower running to properly hydrate is worth it.
Mental Strategies for Race Day
When it gets hard (and it will get hard):
Focus on the next mile marker. Not the finish line, not the half-way point. Just the next mile.
Do a form check. Relax your shoulders, soften your hands, engage your core, check your posture. Sometimes focusing on form distracts you from discomfort.
Break the race into thirds: The first third is about settling in. The second third is about staying steady. The final third is about digging deep and showing yourself what you're made of.
Remember your why. Why did you sign up for this race? What does finishing mean to you? Connect to that deeper motivation when your legs are screaming at you to stop.
Look for your people. If you have friends or family on the course, their support will give you a boost. Even strangers cheering can lift you when you need it most.
After the Race: Recovery and What Comes Next
You did it! You crossed that finish line! You're officially a half marathoner!
Now comes another important phase: recovery.
Immediate Post-Race (First 24 Hours)
Keep moving. After you cross the finish line, walk for 10-15 minutes. Don't sit down immediately. Gentle movement helps flush waste products from your muscles and prevents stiffness.
Refuel within 30 minutes. Your body is primed to absorb nutrients immediately after intense exercise. Get some protein and carbohydrates in you—a recovery drink, a banana with peanut butter, chocolate milk, whatever sounds good.
Hydrate. You've lost a lot of fluid through sweat. Drink water and consider adding electrolytes.
Celebrate! You just ran 13.1 miles. That's incredible. Take time to acknowledge what you accomplished.
The Week After
Take at least 3-4 days completely off from running. A week if you can manage it. I know you'll feel restless. I know you'll want to "test out" your legs. Don't. Your body needs genuine rest to repair.
Gentle movement is fine: Walking, easy swimming, gentle yoga. But nothing high-impact or intense.
Expect to feel sore. DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) typically peaks 48-72 hours after intense exercise. This is normal. Keep moving gently, stay hydrated, and be patient.
Returning to Running
When you do return to running (after at least 3-4 days off), ease back in gradually:
Week 1 post-race: 3-4 easy, short runs (2-3 miles max)
Week 2 post-race: Return to normal easy running volume (but no workouts yet)
Week 3 post-race: Can begin adding quality workouts back in
Don't jump immediately into another training plan. Give yourself at least 2-3 weeks of easy, unstructured running to fully recover both physically and mentally.
What's Next: Your Running Journey Beyond the Half
Completing your first half marathon is an incredible achievement. But for many runners, it's just the beginning.
You might want to:
Run another half marathon and go for a PR (personal record). Now that you know what the distance feels like, you can train more specifically for time goals.
Step up to a full marathon. If the half marathon left you wanting more, the full marathon might be calling your name. Just make sure you've built a solid base of half marathon experience first—most coaches recommend running at least 2-3 half marathons before attempting the full distance.
Work on getting faster at shorter distances. Training for a 5K or 10K with the endurance base you've built from half marathon training can lead to breakthrough performances.
Join a running community for ongoing support. Training for a goal race is motivating, but being part of a consistent running community can keep you engaged long-term.
This is where Badass Lady Gang really shines. Our BALG Training Team isn't just about training for one race. It's about building a sustainable running practice, understanding your training, and being part of a supportive community of women who are all working toward their own running goals.
We offer:
Weekly group coaching calls where we break down training science and answer your questions
Customized training plans for your goals and schedule
A judgment-free community of women runners at all levels
Strength training video library specifically designed for runners
Audio-coached long runs to keep you company on those solo miles
Education-first approach that teaches you the why behind your training
Because the best training isn't about blindly following a plan someone else wrote. It's about understanding what you're doing, why you're doing it, and having the support to actually stick with it.
Your First Step Starts Today
Training for a half marathon is a journey. There will be hard days. There will be runs where you feel amazing and runs where you wonder why you're doing this. There will be early mornings and sore legs and moments of doubt.
But there will also be breakthroughs. Runs where you feel strong and powerful and unstoppable. The moment you complete a long run distance you never thought possible. The realization that you're becoming a runner, not just someone who runs.
And ultimately, there will be that finish line. The moment when you cross it and realize you just ran 13.1 miles. The moment when you prove to yourself that you're capable of more than you thought.
That's what half marathon training offers: not just a finish line, but a transformation.
Ready to start?
If you're brand new to running, begin with our free Couch to 5K program. It's the perfect foundation to build from.
If you want to build your aerobic base with a comprehensive, science-backed approach, check out our free Build Your Base Training Experience.
If you're ready for a structured half marathon training plan designed to meet you where you are, explore our affordable half marathon training plans.
And if you want the complete package—training plans, weekly coaching, community support, strength training, and education that teaches you how to become your own best coach—join us in the BALG Training Team.
Whatever path you choose, know this: you can do this. You have everything you need to train for and complete a half marathon. It won't always be easy, but it will absolutely be worth it.
Your journey to 13.1 miles starts with a single step.
Take it today.
Kelly is the founder of Badass Lady Gang, a running community and coaching business dedicated to building confidence and mental strength in women runners. She believes that education-based training creates lasting transformation, and that every woman deserves to know just how badass she really is.
